Oklahoma

by Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II

(Vocal Score). The complete vocal score to the classic musical with 13 songs: I Cain't Say No * Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' * Oklahoma * Out of My Dreams * People Will Say We're in Love * The Surrey with the Fringe on Top * and more.

Genres: Plays, Theatre, Musicals, Music, Fiction, Drama, Historical Fiction

Paperback

First published June 1, 1943

About the author

Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American composer who worked primarily in musical theater.

With 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers was one of the best-known American composers of the 20th century, and his compositions had a significant influence on popular music.

Richard Rodgers was in the inaugural group of Kennedy Center Honorees in 1978 for lifetime achievement in the arts.
In 1990, the 46th Street Theatre was renamed the Richard Rodgers Theatre in his memory.

Reviews

[Greg Kerestan · Rating 3 out of 5]

So sue me- I'm not a big "Oklahoma!" fan. Sure, it's the first modern American integrated book musical. Sure, it's the first Rodgers and Hammerstein score. Sure, it's launched careers from Shirley Jones to Hugh Jackman. But... it's not a perfect work. R&H hadn't mastered the balance between Americana and corn yet, so some moments feel a little too "aww, shucks" to be taken seriously. On the other hand, while the team would excel at creating complex, antiheroic protagonists later (Billy Bigelow in "Carousel," The King in "The King and I"), the two created here are somewhat undercooked. Curly is portrayed as almost a perfect cowboy cliché, except for the scene where he repeatedly insists that Jud should probably kill himself and is better off dead; Jud, on the other hand, is unevenly characterized as sometimes dangerous psychopath, sometimes bumbling buffoon. The supporting characters come off better than the leads- endlessly idealistic Will, lovably slutty Ado Annie, even ethnically ambiguous huckster Ali Hakim. Overall, though, "Oklahoma!" can feel like a first draft for a career that would later improve considerably.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Oklahoma. I really want to see it. Here's my analysis:

The Musical Oklahoma, with music by Richard Rogers, and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, is considered the first “true book musical”. This is because the songs, music and dance of the show are well integrated into the musical and help tell the story and further the plot. In fact, the songs are so well integrated, they don’t even have titles, the musical just jumps right into them. 

For example, in the song “Por Jud is Daid”, Curly easily alternates between singing and talking:


CURLY. 

He’s all laid out to rest

With his hands across his chest.

His fingernails have never b’en so clean!

(JUD turns slowly to question the good taste of this last reference, but CURLY plunges straight into another item of the imagined wake.)

Nen the preacher’d git up and he’d say…”(1.2).


Older musicals such as Show Boat, and Pal Joey, do not have such as ease of transitioning between talking and singing. There’s a set time to sing and a set time to talk. But in Oklahoma, you never know when characters could easily slip into song. Music is treated differently, there are snatches of songs throughout, and refrains, music is not a side part of the story, it is the story.

Dances too are not just an extra bit on top of the show. For example, the “Dream Ballet” in Oklahoma, uses music and dance to tell Laurey’s deepest fears, and show that she truly does love Curly (1.3).

Another difference is the depth songs give to a character. Songs in Oklahoma, tell us what the characters are thinking and gives us deeper insight into what they want, and are fighting for, while songs from earlier shows would tell us about about a character, it often was only one aspect of the character; songs in Oklahoma, give us well rounded characters. I think the song “Lonely Room”, sung by Jud, does really shows his character, and helps the viewer understand him, to the point of pitying him. 


JUD.

    And all the things I wish fer

    Turn out like I want them to be,

    And I’m better’n that Smart Aleck cowhand

    Who thinks he is better’n me!

    And the girl that I want

    Ain’t afraid of my arms,

    And her own soft arms keep me warm.


With Oklahoma, the lyrics to the songs are just as important as the music that goes along with them. Oscar Hammerstein, carefully thought through his libretto, while earlier plays I feel did not always think so carefully about their words. With lyrics that are poetry, like: “Oklahoma,/Where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain,/And the wavin’ wheat/Can sure smell sweet/When the wind comes right behind the rain” (2.3).  

Thus, Oklahoma broke away from earlier musicals, through the use of music and dance to tell the story and give further insights into the characters. What else can I say, except: “‘You’re doin’ fine, Oklahoma!/Oklahoma, O.K.!’,”(2.3).

[Carolyn Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great piece of musical history, and fun to watch (although the dream sequence was WEIRD). As per the usual, the songs were better than the script.

[Amy]

The ancient Greeks were the first people to create plays and theater, but it was the United States that gave the world musical theater. In 1943 Richard Rodgers and composer Oscar Hammerstein II introduced the world to plays that incorporated music and songs to further the plot through Oklahoma! Oklahoma takes place in Oklahoma right before it is made a state. It is the entertaining and often intense story of a girl, Laurie, caught between two men. On one side she finds herself liking the handsome and kind (though a little arogant at times) cowboy Curly, yet on the other she feels herself attracted to the dangerous farm hand Jud Fry. Confusion on who to love seems to be a theme in Oklahoma, as Ado Annie, friend of Laurie's and part time comic relief, finds herself between Will Parker and Ali Hackim. Her decision is more left up to if Will has fifty dollars than who she really wants, as she likes whoever she's with the best. It's an awesome play, especially as the first of it's kind. Not only was it simply introduced by the US, but it was truly and American play, focusing on our own specific history and culture. It talks about the role of Kansas City on southern culture in the song that states "everythings up to date in Kansas City." It also tells the story of the tension between the farmer's and cowboys in that territory before it became a state and how they had to come together to succeed. I think it's an amazing play in every way, to the fun of the unintelligent Will Parker, to the depth of creepiness portrayed by Jud through his song "Lonley Room" and his confession to killing a girl and her family for not dating him. It's amazing and I love it. :)

[Emilie Parry]

A classic. I didn't have a ton of thoughts reading this, but I liked the way that it was written the exact way the characters talked, in the Southern dialect that they talked in. Oklahoma! created so many standards in the musical theatre world, and I did enjoy the process of reading it, I think the story is very sweet and I'd love to see it in person.

[Kaia Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good musical. I read alongside the 1954 production and overall it was a sweet read and watch. It was surprisingly progressive in terms of gender roles and quite funny at times. It’s not my favorite music or storyline but I understand why it’s a classic in American musical theatre history. The song “Oklahoma” EATS. Also the peddler Ali Hakim>>

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. It surprised me when I directed this piece, just how much I liked the script. Much more complex than I had anticipated or remembered growing up.

[Shawn Deal · Rating 5 out of 5]

An all time classic

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Performed with WHS in 2008

[Kaethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I offer the classic review of a musical's script: it has such catchy tunes.